SC notice on proposed bodies for plaints against cops

New Delhi, July 15 (IANS) The Supreme Court Monday issued notice to the central and and state governments on a petition seeking direction to set up Police Complaint Authorities (PCA) to deal with public complaints related to law enforcers.

The authorities comprising competent and independent people were mandated by the apex court by its 2006 verdict related to police reforms.

The apex court bench of Chief Justice Altamas Kabir, Justice F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla and Justice Vikramajit Sen issued notice as senior counsel Colin Gonsalves pointed to the court the "poor state of the implementation of the directions of the apex court for pushing police reforms".

The petition was filed by Sarfraj Mulla, Kavesh V. Gosavi, Abdul Allbaksh Gaffar Shirogod and Khalil Tannub Mohammed, who were all allegedly ill-treated by Goa Police, urging the court to direct all states and union territories to set up a PCA each and make it functional within three months.

The petitioners urged the court to direct the central government to frame model rules to be adopted by states and union territories on establishing the proposed complaint authorities.

They alleged that they were "tortured by the police, stripped naked, racially abused and maliciously prosecuted" by Goa Police.

As they filed a complaint on their torture by police before the PCA, it (PCA) allowed their cross examination by counsel for police and disallowed thier counsel to question the police personnel who allegedly ill-treated them.

The PCA conducted proceedings in a manner openly favouring police and appeared to be labouring under a very wrong legal notion as to the scope of its authority, the petition said..

The petition sought direction to state governments that they should treat the apex court's directions on setting up the complaint authorities as "binding".